Research & Creative Activity Day Abstract Booklet April 29, 2021 Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Because West Chester University seeks to be a leader in local, regional, and global sustainability efforts, the Office of Research and Sponsored programs has collaborated with the Office of Sustainability to create a special designation for those Research and Creative Activity Day projects that perpetuate the health and welfare of people, economies, and the environment. Thus, all abstracts identified with the Brandywine B reveal the many ways that West Chester University faculty and students are helping to design, implement, evaluate, and improve a variety of environmental, social, and economic sustainability activities. West Chester University Research & Creative Activity Day Spring 2021 1 | Page ORAL PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS Presentation #1 Examining the Experiences of Community College Students Presenter: Melanie Snyder, Bayley Saffier, Abigail McLane, Colleen Keeler, Zsa Zsa Alston Faculty Mentor: Dr. Mia Ocean Department: Social Work Community colleges often have low graduation and retention rates but are more accessible to individuals from low- and moderate-income backgrounds due to affordable tuition. Receiving financial aid, such as the Pell Grant, has a positive influence on ability to achieve academic goals. The aim of this study was to investigate impeding and strengthening factors that impacted academic goal attainment in community college students eligible for the Pell Grant. Data was collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews with current financially eligible Pell grant community college students (n=62). The research team conducted thematic analysis guided by empowerment and strength-based theories. Participants reported on the impacts of having parents who are immigrants, economic factors, experiences with staff, and social support systems. Findings reinforce the importance of equitable policy and practice to enhance student completion rates. Presentation #2 Biomechanical Energetics of Terrestrial Locomotion in California Sea Lions Presenter(s): Sarah Kerr Faculty Mentor: Dr. Frank Fish Department: Biology Pinnipedia, an order of semi-aquatic marine mammals, adapted a body design to locomote both aquatically and terrestrially. The limbs of these amphibious mammals are modified as flippers, which are beneficial for aquatic locomotion, but can limit their locomotion on land. Phocids (true seals) have reduced forelimbs and are unable to bring their hindlimbs beneath them during terrestrial locomotion. Otariids, like the California sea lion (<i>Zalophus californianus</i>), have enlarged forelimbs and can bring their hindlimbs under the body to locomote quadrupedally on land. Due to these differences, phocids are expected to move on land with greater energetic costs compared to otariids. The energetic cost of terrestrial locomotion in pinnipeds has only been examined in the elephant seal. To compare the mechanical costs of transport of terrestrial locomotion between otariids and phocids, one male and two female adult California sea lions were video recorded galloping across a runway. The center of mass, along with six other anatomical points, were digitized to obtain variables such as velocity ( ), amplitude of heave ( ), and the frequency ( ) of oscillations during the gallop cycle of the California sea lions. These variables represent the principal parameters of a biomechanical model that computes the power output of individuals. Power input and cost of transport were compared between four pinniped species: the California sea lion, the harbor seal, the gray seal, and the Northern elephant seal. The model indicates that the quadrupedal gait of otariids has a lower cost of transport than the undulatory gait of phocids. West Chester University Research & Creative Activity Day Spring 2021 2 | Page Presentation #3 The Evaluation of a Soft Skills Curriculum in Athletic Training Education: A Mixed Methods Study Presenter(s): Emily Duckett Faculty Mentor: Dr. Heather Schugar Department: Literacy Purpose: Athletic Training Education Competencies (2011) include exhibiting empathy and compassion as foundational behaviors of practice. Despite abundant evidence supporting the importance of compassionate patient care, there is currently evidence to suggest that healthcare is experiencing a compassion crisis (Patel et al., 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which pre-professional athletic training students’ transfer knowledge from a soft skills curriculum to clinical practice. Methods: This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed method design with a preliminary quantitative input (Morgan, 2014). Phase 1 of the study includes participants (n=19) enrolled in a pre-professional AT course. The quantitative questionnaires utilized are the Jefferson Empathy Scale-HPS (Fields, 2011) and the Compassion Scale (Pommier & Neff, 2019). Phase 2 included the same participants now in an MS AT program. Participants completed bi-weekly reflection logs describing empathy and compassion occurrence during their clinical experience. Reflection logs were coded with a constant comparative analysis. The embedded Phase 2 included four (n=4) semi-structured interviews. Outcomes: A repeated measures ANOVA calculated the student’s empathy and compassion composite at three time points. The results revealed statistical significance within the students’ development of empathy and the compassion construct of kindness. The results revealed that students applied empathy by connecting with their patients through lived experiences and the ability to stay out of judgement when listening to patients. The students described using compassion by reassuring their patients that they were not going to endure their injury alone and that a support system is in place. Presentation #4 Online Instructors’ Use of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning Design Principles: A Mixed Methods Investigation Presenter(s): Thomas Pantazes Faculty Mentor: Dr. Heather Schugar Department: Literacy The use of digital video in online education is increasing alongside the growth of online learning in higher education in the United States driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic (Bétrancourt & Benetos, 2018; McCormack, 2020; Seaman, et al, 2018). The study of digital instructional video is still at an early stage (Chorianopoulos, 2018) and current research has examined students and not instructors (Kay, 2012; Pan, et al, 2012). There are no studies solely focused on higher education instructors’ perspectives of digital video use for instruction (Kay, 2012). The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study (QUAN à qual) was to develop a case study describing instructor implementation of the 11 Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) design principles in videos created for use in online courses (Mayer, 2019). The case study combined self-reported survey data from 55 online instructors, interview data from five instructors with the highest self- reported implementation of CTML design principle, and analysis data from five video artifacts. Results indicate that instructors are implementing the coherence, modality and voice principles with fidelity while the signaling, redundancy, segmenting, and embodiment principles are lagging. Themes from the interviewees suggest possible video creation techniques that can assist instructors in implementing all of the CTML design principles in future instructional videos. West Chester University Research & Creative Activity Day Spring 2021 3 | Page Presentation #6 WCU Business Students’ Attitudes and Perceptions towards Information Literacy Presenter(s): Grace Liu Department: Library This presentation is a preliminary report for the Provost Research Grant sponsored project “Bridging Information Literacy Gaps in Business Students: A Case Study from West Chester University.” The purpose of the project is to build a sustainable library service model to help over 3,800 WCU business students develop well-rounded information literacy knowledge and skills to be able to confidently meet business research challenges in class and at workplace, and make informed decisions as a student, a business professional, and an active citizen. A business student survey was conducted in fall 2020 semester to understand students’ perceptions and attitudes towards information literacy and seek their ideas on how library ca help them learn. The survey received over 400 responses and the research findings not only shed light on possible library programs but also present great value for faculty to understand our business student population, their interest, academic intent, motivation, challenges, and more. Presentation #7 Immigration Law Presenter(s): Emily Nair Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Zalewski Department: Anthropology & Sociology This study explores the educational and work experiences of immigration lawyers. Areas to be explored in interviews include typical academic paths, the challenges immigration lawyers commonly face in practicing immigration law, and the ways they manage them. Recent literature suggests that immigration lawyers encounter many ethical challenges in their work and have increased rates of burnout. (Markham, 2020) Immigration policies present their own challenges with assisting clients, and recent COVID restrictions have added to these existing issues in the immigration system. A snowball technique is used to locate study participants, and interview data will be obtained using